This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 11-225722, Aug. 9, 1999; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a head plate opening/closing force-reducing mechanism, a probing apparatus, and an opening/closing force-reducing mechanism for opening/closing a heavy object. More specifically, the present invention relates to a mechanism for reducing the force of opening/closing a heavy head plate, a probing apparatus capable of suppressing the inclination of a probe card due to deformation of a head plate, and a mechanism for reducing the force of opening/closing a heavy object.
As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, a probing apparatus for an integrated circuit formed on a wafer W generally comprises a loading chamber 1 and a probing chamber 2. The loading chamber 1 transports and pre-alignments the wafer W. The probing chamber 2 receives the wafer W from the loading chamber 1 and inspects electrical characteristics of the integrated circuit on the wafer W. The loading chamber 1 includes tweezers 3 and a sub-chuck 4. While the wafer W is being transported by the tweezers 3, it is pre-aligned by the sub-chuck 4 with reference to its orientation flat and notch. The probing chamber 2 includes a main chuck 5 and an alignment mechanism 6. The main chuck 5 on which the wafer W is mounted, moves in X, Y and xcex8 directions and aligns the wafer w with probes 7A of a probe card 7 above the main chuck 5 in association with the alignment mechanism 6. The main chuck 5 rises in the Z direction and brings the wafer W into electrical contact with the probes 7A to inspect the electrical characteristics of the integrated circuit formed on the wafer w through the probes 7A and test head T.
The probing chamber 2 is opened in order to exchange the probe card 7, perform maintenance of the probing chamber 2, and the like. The probe card 7 is thus detachably mounted on the head plate 8 and the test head T is rotatably mounted thereon. To open the probing chamber 2, the test head T rotates and retreats from the position of the head plate 8 of the probing chamber 2, and the head plate 8 rotates. The head plate 8 is, as shown in FIG. 6, hinge-coupled to one end of the probe chamber 2 (referred to as a rear end hereinafter) through a shaft 8A. The head plate 8 rotates around the shaft 8A to open/close the probing chamber 2.
FIG. 6 shows an example of a head plate opening/closing force-reducing mechanism for reducing the force required for opening/closing a head plate. The head plate opening/closing force-reducing mechanism includes a gas spring 9 attached to the rear end portion of a main body (which is relatively close to a position in which the head plate 8 is rotatably mounted on the main body). The gas spring 9 pushes up a rod by its push-up force. The pushed-up rod rotates the head plate 8 to smoothly open/close the upper opening of the main body. In the prior art probing apparatus, however, the load of the test head T is applied to the probe card 7 and so is the reaction force of probing pressure exerted in the inspection. The load and force deform the head plate 8 and, in this case, the head plate 8 is not deformed uniformly and thus the probe card 7 inclines. As a result, the prior art probing apparatus has the problem that the probes 7A cannot be brought into stable contact with an electrode pads of an object to be inspected.
It has been recently contrived to screw the head plate 8 on right and left receiving seats (not shown) provided in front of the probing chamber 2 when the probing apparatus operates. Since the gas spring 9 pushes up the rear end portion of the head plate 8 screwed by the receiving seats, a very great push-up force is required to reduce the force for opening/closing the head plate 8. It is when the head plate 8 is closed that the push-up force of the gas spring 9 is the greatest. The great push-up force caused when the head plate 8 is closed, deforms the head plate 8 more and more complicated.
An object of the present invention is to resolve each or some of the problems of the prior art described above.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a head plate opening/closing force-reducing mechanism capable of smoothly opening/closing a head plate.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a probing apparatus in which the inclination of a probe card can greatly be suppressed by deforming a head plate uniformly.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a probing apparatus capable of performing a stable inspection with high reliability.
The other objects and advantages of the present invention are described below and some of them will be made obvious from the disclosure or obtained by practicing the present invention. The objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved in combination with the means specifically described herein.
A head plate opening/closing force-reducing mechanism according to a first aspect of the present invention, comprises:
a head plate one end of which is rotatably attached to a main body so as to open/close an opening formed in the main body; and
at least one push-up mechanism attached to at least one edge of the head plate, the push-up mechanism being located in a position close to an opposite end of the one end of the head plate.
Preferably, the head plate opening/closing force-reducing mechanism further comprises a plurality of push-up mechanisms, each of the push-up mechanisms comprising a rod section and an extending-force providing section which hold the rod section such that the rod section extends and contracts and which provide an extending-force to the rod section,
wherein the plurality of push-up mechanisms are coupled in series to each other, and rod sections of push-up mechanisms other than a push-up mechanism which is nearest to the head plate lift and lower along a lifting/lowering guide mechanism.
A probing apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises:
a main body having an opening;
a head plate one end of which is rotatably attached to the main body so as to open/close the opening, the head plate rotating around the one end of the head plate;
a probe card detachably mounted on the head plate, and a plurality of receiving seats for the head plate, the plurality of receiving seats being fixed to corresponding portions on a circumference of the opening, distances between each of the receiving seats and a center of the probe card being same, and the head plate being fastened on the receiving seats.
Preferably, in the probing apparatus, the receiving seats are fixed to the corresponding portions near to four corners of the circumference of the opening.
Preferably, in the probing apparatus, the receiving seats each have a level adjusting mechanism for mounting the head plate horizontally.
A probing apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention comprises:
a main body having an opening;
a head plate one end of which is rotatably attached to the main body so as to open/close the opening;
a probe card detachably mounted on the head plate, a plurality of receiving seats for the head plate, the plurality of receiving seats being fixed to corresponding portions on a circumference of the opening, and the head plate being fastened on the receiving seats; and
a head plate opening/closing force-reducing mechanism including at least one push-up mechanism attached to at least one edge of the head plate, the push-up mechanism being located in a position close to an opposite end of the one end of the head plate.
Preferably, in the probing apparatus, the head plate opening/closing force-reducing mechanism further includes a plurality of push-up mechanisms, each of the push-up mechanisms comprising a rod section and an extending-force providing section which hold the rod section such that the rod section extends and contracts and which provide an extending-force to the rod section, wherein the plurality of push-up mechanisms are coupled in series to each other, and rod sections of push-up mechanisms other than a push-up mechanism which is nearest to the head plate lift and lower along a lifting/lowering guide mechanism.
Preferably, in the probing apparatus, the plurality of receiving seats are fixed to the corresponding portions near to four corners of the opening, distances between the receiving seats and a center of the probe card are same, and the head plate is fastened on the receiving seats.
Preferably, in the probing apparatus, the head plate opening/closing force-reducing mechanism further includes a plurality of push-up mechanisms each holding a rod section such that the rod section extends and contracts and having an extending-force providing section for providing the rod section with an extending force, wherein the plurality of push-up mechanisms are coupled in series to each other, and rod sections of push-up mechanisms other than a push-up mechanism which is nearest to the head plate lift and lower along a lifting/lowering guide mechanism.
An opening/closing force-reducing mechanism for rotating a heavy object and opening/closing the heavy object, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, comprises:
a first push-up mechanism including:
a first rod section having a top end rotatably attached to the heavy object, and
a first extending-force providing section for holding the first rod section such that the rod section extends and contracts and providing the first rod section with an extending force;
a second push-up mechanism including:
a second rod section having a top end coupled to the first extending-force providing section of the first push-up mechanism, and
a second extending-force providing section for holding the second rod section such that the rod section extends and contracts and providing the second rod section with an extending force; and
a first lifting/lowering guide mechanism for guiding the top end of the second rod section when the second rod section is extended by the second extending-force providing section.
Preferably, the opening/closing force-reducing mechanism further comprises a third push-up mechanism, the third push-up mechanism including:
a third rod section having a top end coupled to the second extending-force providing section of the second push-up mechanism;
a third extending-force providing section for holding the third rod section such that the rod section extends and contracts and providing the third rod section with an extending force; and
a second lifting/lowering guide mechanism for guiding the top end of the third rod section when the third rod section is extended by the third extending-force providing section.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.